Love is Friendship set on Fire
by reflection-image
Summary: A collection of Narusaku one shots in Naruto verse / alternate universe One shot # 3 part 1: He first saw her at the train station. She was that woman with that defiant look on her face and he was the man who ran away from home without much money in his pocket Narusaku
1. The day he fell in love

**Narusaku prompt: Love is friendship set on fire**

It was Friday, APRIL 3.

Sakura looked at the clock as she stretched her arms. It was 30 minutes before 4pm. Her shift was almost over and all her tasks were done. She walked towards the only window of her office and stopped just in front it. She loved this spot. There was a beautiful garden below and she found it relaxing to look at the flowers after a tiring day. She focused her attention on the view but soon, her mind drifted to other things.

"Even I could tell that he really loves you," Sai's voice rang in Sakura's ears. The potency of the words amazed her. He told her this a year ago and yet it still affected her the same way as it did back then. Maybe even more.

She shook her head. Lately, the blond had been in her mind more often than she liked. She thought about him every morning, during lunch and even in the evenings. It was like a habit and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop. Heck, she couldn't even remember when and how this all started. No matter how hard she tried, she really couldn't pinpoint that exact moment where Naruto's smiles and gestures suddenly started stirring something in her heart.

She sighed. If only everything was that simple. The more that realization slowly dawned on her, the more she felt trapped-. In the end, all she wanted was to protect what they have now. She was happy and so was he-that was all that mattered to her.

But then, for how long will she be contented in staying like this?

Apparently, she was too deep in her thoughts she didn't even hear the sound of the door opening. The pleasant view of the flowers-she wasn't able to revel in-was replaced by darkness. It took her a moment to realize that someone had snuck in behind her and covered her eyes.

"Naruto, I know it's you,"

The said blond laughed as he removed his hands from her eyes. She turned to face him. Exactly four months after the war, he had been consistent in showing up at the hospital every Friday to treat her to dinner. It went on until it become a routine for both of them-a hard habit to break.

"You took too long so I came to get you," Naruto's eyes beamed with happiness as he looked at her.

She looked away as she felt the heat rise up to her cheeks. Damn Naruto. All he did was smile and yet it was enough to make her heart beat faster.

"Sakura-chan, are you all right?" he bent down, their noses almost touching. "Your face is red. Do you have fever?" he asked, a mixture of worry and disappointment in his voice.

Shifting her gaze back to him, she suddenly realized how close their faces were. The proximity caused her to focus on his blue eyes which to her, seemed more beautiful especially when they shone with worry for her. She took a step back, widening the distance between them. Why was she thinking about these things again?

"I'm all right. You don't have to worry. Let's go." She said awkwardly as she went out of the room. He quickened his steps to keep up with her. As soon as they were out of the hospital's main door, she turned left.

"Wait Sakura-chan? We're supposed to go in this direction" He pointed at the opposite way.

"But Ichiraku Ramen is this way. Isn't it?"

Naruto grinned. "But we always go there. I actually…prepared something…special for today you know,"

"Eh? why?" She was surprised. She tried to think of things that could possibly make this day special.

April 3

She couldn't recall anyone among their close friends who has a birthday on that day nor could she remember any events important events worth celebrating.

"Um…Well, You See Sakura-chan…um…it's because…" he struggled for the right words to say. This is it! This was his chance. He rehearsed his confession at home. Now all he need to do is to tell her how he honestly feels.

He was not even sure how she would react. They had been friends far too long and she might still have lingering feelings for Sasuke. But then again, when did these doubts ever stop him from loving her? That was something even he has no control over.

His heart pounded in nervousness. He prepared himself for the worst. He was ready.

"Come on, just tell me," she said, her impatience getting the better of her.

He opened his mouth to speak, his heartbeat steadily growing faster by the second.

"Yo! Naruto, Sakura," Kakashi suddenly appeared between the two of them, interrupting the moment.

"S…Sensei!" the two said in unison.

"I was just passing by. I see you're both on your usual date,"

Both gave him embarrassed looks. He smiled knowingly. It was amusing to note that the two of them neither confirmed nor denied what he just said.

He remembered teasing them about their usual Friday dinner months ago. The reaction was different. What he got was an embarrassed grin from Naruto and a denial from Sakura, saying that they weren't on a date at all and that they were 'just friends.'

"Wait…Don't tell me…" he faked a gasp. "You've hooked up behind my back"

"N…no that's not it," Sakura said in such a weak voice Kakashi almost couldn't hear. He laughed.

"Oh well, enjoy yourselves and Naruto…" Kakashi put his arm around Naruto's shoulder and whispered, "You could always borrow some of my Icha-Icha books if you need 'tips' you know,"

Sakura gave them a puzzled look for she couldn't hear the conversation and therefore has no idea what they were talking about.

Kakashi soon removed his arm from Naruto's shoulder. "Goodbye lovebirds," He said in a playful tone as he went into the hospital. It was fun teasing them especially Naruto. His expressions were always priceless.

"Naruto, what what did Kakahi-sense tell you?"

"uummm…let's go Sakura-chan," he pretended not to hear her as he immediately walked towards the opposite direction, all the while avoiding eye contact. Kakashi's 'suggestion' made him think of inappropriate thoughts and he was sure his face was flushed. He didn't want her to know that.

Realizing she wouldn't get answers anytime soon, she finally gave up and just let him lead the way.

A few minutes passed and they finally reached a familiar place-his new apartment. This one was bigger than his old one. He opened the door for her. She went inside but not before leaving her slippers at the entrance way. She noticed the hooks attached to the wall. She removed her jounin vest and hang it onto one of them. This way, she would feel more comfortable.

Different thoughts plagued her mind. There were only the two of them and they were in his house. What was he planning? Did he forget his wallet at home? Was he going to change his clothes so they could finally go to dinner? An image of a shirtless Naruto flashed in her mind and she violently shook her head, angry at herself for thinking such inappropriate thoughts. She had seen a shirtless Naruto countless of times before so why was she reacting this way now?

"Sakura-chan, stay here" he brought her to the living room and gestured her towards one of the chairs He asked to wait as he disappeared to another part of the house.

She examined the place. This was so much better than the one he had before and surprisingly, everything was neat and organized. There were four chairs placed on each side of the square table.

Aside from that there was another smaller table of the same shape at the corner of the living room. On it was a picture of team seven they took years ago. A newer version taken last month was beside it. This time, aside from the original team seven, Yamato and Sai were with them. She laughed when she remembered how it took a lot for them just to convince Sasuke to be a part of it.

And then there was something else

A small table calendar was placed next to the second picture. From afar, she could see that there was a day which was encircled with a red marker. Aside from that, there were also doodles she could not make out due to the distance from the said object.

Curious, she stood up, walked over to the table and got the calendar. Her gaze fell on the encircled date. It was April 3.

It was not the only thing that sparked her interest. Around the date was a doodle of faces-one of a boy with a spiky hair and a girl with short hair. Between then was a heart. Her mind worked quickly until she was finally able to put two and two together. The conclusion brought a surge of warm feelings into her Could it be?

"Sakura-chan, let's eat dinner,"

She quickly put down the calendar the moment he heard his voice.

"Yes, I'm coming," she went to the dining room and was amazed by the sight that greeted her.

On the table was an assortment of at least five different foods-all of which were her favorite. A vase of flowers was also placed on one side-an attempt to make the dinner set-up even better.

Naruto observed her reaction and was pleased with himself. All the trouble he went through just to prepare this was worth it after all.

"I did a little research you know and I found out that you love all these so I prepared them," He said as he hurriedly pulled a chair for her. Sakura sat down,

As soon as she's comfortable, he sat on the opposite side so he was facing her. He waited for her to start eating.

But Sakura didn't. She just sat there, staring at him. It made him feel uneasy. Did she not like his surprise?

On the other hand, Sakura felt the exact opposite. A man just went to great lengths to make her feel so important and so loved. And to think that he just went back from his latest mission yesterday… it must have taken a lot of his time and effort to prepare this all.

"Thank you…just thank you for all the things you did for me," Now that she had gotten used to their daily routine and his sweet gestures, she honestly couldn't imagine a life without him by his side anymore.

Indeed, Uzumaki Naruto had become a necessity to her. He was her teammate, her best friend, her brother, her confidante, her source of comfort and support. He was her _everything._

"Eh? I should be the one thanking you Sakura-chan," He didn't say it just to make her feel better. It was the truth. Just by simply existing, she had made him so happy. He wanted to thank her for always being there for him.

"So, shall we eat?"

"Wait." She looked down. Should she bring up what she just saw in the living room? Perhaps she shouldn't. But then again, she wanted to.

"April 3 must be a very special day for you to prepare this much."

"Well…yes," he said, unsure how to answer.

"I saw the calendar,"

Naruto almost choked on his food. "You saw WHAT!?"

"I said I saw the calendar."

His eyes widened. He was too excited that he forgot to hide it before he went out of the house. That calendar was a dead giveaway of his feelings and knowing Sakura, she might have already figured it out.

His reaction gave her the confidence to probe further. If he would not tell her his true feelings then she had no choice but to coax it out of him.

"Do you really look forward to this day to the point that you had to encircle them on your calendar?"

He fell silent as he recalled some memories from years ago.

He remembered seeing an eight years old Sakura smiled at a certain Uchiha as she observed him from afar.** It was the kind of smile that reached the eyes and radiated so much happiness. **It fascinated him for as a child, he never really had people smiled at him like that.

After that, he started to watch her from afar as she tried all sorts of things just to get the Uchiha to notice him. His young heart was drawn by her very strong devotion and before he knew it, that small spark of interest grew into something more.

"Sorry Naruto. I shouldn't have asked," his lack of response made her uncomfortable.

He took a deep breath and gave her an intense look. This is it! It's now or never. He knew he was risking their friendship.

_But then again, not confessing is an even greater risk._

Her heart jolted at the sight. This expression was familiar. It was the kind of expression he makes whenever he is determined to get something he wants.

"April 3…that's the day I fell in love with a little girl years ago and since then, my feelings never wavered." He paused to take a breath. The intensity of the emotions he kept bottled up within for the past years resurfaced at that exact moment.

"Haruno Sakura. I LOVE YOU," It was uttered with so much conviction as his eyes shone with so much love for her.

Sakura stared, unable to believe what she just heard. But then, realization slowly started to sink in and she couldn't help the tears of happiness that started falling from her eyes. Finally! after waiting for a long time, he finally said the words she wanted to hear. This moment was just…p_erfect._

Naruto panicked when he saw her crying. "Eh? Sakura-chan, are you all right? Did I do something wrong?" He ran to his room, got a handkerchief and went back to the table in a matter of seconds.

"Here. Take it, Sakura-chan" He handed her the handkerchief.

What he didn't expect was for her to stand up and pull him towards her at the same time. The handkerchief was completely forgotten as it soundlessly fell on the floor because of the abruptness of her actions.

She wrapped her hands around him and buried her head into his chest. I…love you too you idiot!"

Everything was lost in the background as his senses became too preoccupied with the woman in his arms. Was he hearing things? No. It was as clear as daylight. Haruno Sakura, the woman he had been in love with since he was eight, finally retuned his feelings. He raised his shaky hands and returned the tight hug. He wanted this moment to last forever.

Disappointment settled in when she pulled back.

But then she looked at him straight in the eyes.

This time she was smiling. And it was the kind of smile that he longed to receive from her years ago-a smile that reached the eyes and radiated so much happiness.

And at that moment, Naruto knew he was the happiest man in Konoha.


	2. Tango

**One shot # 2**

**Standard disclaimer applied**

They say dancing is an art-a finely woven series of steps put together to entertain and seduce an audience. Every step of the feet, every sway of the hips and every movement of the hands should be precise and in time to the rhythm of the music.

Uzumaki Naruto was not a novice when it came to dancing-especially in ballroom dancing. In fact, he was rather proud of his skills. He got an entire shelf at home for the trophies he got from different local and international contests to prove his success.

But not all dances could be performed alone which is why he needed a partner-someone who could physically keep up with him. It was a good thing that such an individual who possessed the same enthusiasm and passion as him existed.

Haruno Sakura

They met each other a few years ago when they enrolled in the same dance class. She was a moving perfection when it comes to the art. With precise movements and a natural talent, she received praises from their classmates, instructors as well as other ballroom dance experts they invited to judge their performances from time to time.

For someone who aimed to be the top performer in class, Sakura considered him a threat. Countless of times she challenged him to dance battles-some private and some in front of their classmates.

While Sakura viewed everything as some form of competition, the same cannot be said for Naruto who enjoyed every moment of what he referred to as their 'friendly rivalry'. He knew she hated losing so at times, he would hurl some insults-he didn't really meant-at her just to rile her up and get her into 'competitive mode'. When she was like this, she would go all out, sway her hips more and pour all her emotions into her dance routines just to prove him she was the better one. He secretly loved this side of her.

Their 'rivalry' continued until that day when the school needed to send two of their best students to a prestigious dance contest. Thus, they practiced together as partners-for the first time-and both of them discovered something really interesting. They made an effective pair on the dance floor. Too bad they parted and lost communication when their stay in the school was finally over.

They met again after four years when they were both invited by the same school as judges for one important event. Naruto got her number and a few weeks later, asked her if she could be his dance partner again. The idea appealed to her and she agreed on the condition that they come up with a schedule convenient to both of them.

Today was their last practice –and also their dress rehearsal-for that dance event three days from now and though they both agreed to meet at 6 pm, Naruto arrived earlier than usual with the intent of using the additional time to prepare.

Yes he prided himself on his skills and long history of winning streak. Many people who have watched his performances could attest to his level of expertise but still, the nervousness he felt whenever they have performances was nothing compared to the nervousness he was feeling now.

The irony of the situation amazed him. It was terrifying-in a positive way-how one person could affect and control his emotions _this much._

He carefully touched the ends of his hair to check if they were still in place which wasn't really necessary since he already placed a copious amount of hair product to make sure they did. He paced back and forth, occasionally straightening his suit.

The soft sound of the opening door signaled her arrival.

"You're early,"

He was entranced by the sight. Her hair was neatly secured to the side by a flower-like hairclip of sorts while the rest hung freely on her back. The soft, glowing red fabric of her dress perfectly matched her white skin. His eyes followed her every move. He gulped. The slit of her dress that reach mid-thigh revealed more of her creamy, white legs when she bent down to place her things on the floor. She turned and he suddenly found it hard to breath the moment that ample amount of cleavage came into view.

"It's ten before 6. You're early too Sakura-chan. Do you want to see me that much?," he teased.

"Shall we start?" Her tone was serious.

"Hey! Wait! It's not yet 6. How about we get a drink first and then maybe…"

Without warning, she played the song. It reverberated throughout the entire room, drowning even the noises outside.

It was the music commonly used for _Tango-a dance that communicates desire, passion_

He grinned. Years had passed and she was still that same person who hated wasting time.

Not breaking eye contact, she walked closer in a series of well-rehearsed steps, all the while swaying her hips seductively-just in time to the beat of the song. She stopped when they were a few inches apart. He felt the temperature in the room started to rise at the closeness.

That familiar beat came-a signal for them to start moving.

_**Foreplay**_

Inside that dance studio, it was a different world altogether-especially when it's just the two of them. It reminded him of all those private love hotels people go to. It made him feel there was something they shared together. Something that other people couldn't take away

He placed his right hand on her lower back and held her hand with the other. Sakura did the same except for that left arm which she placed above his biceps. They stretched the hands they've intertwined, straightened their upper body and kept their weight on the balls of their feet.

His eyes traveled from head to foot, memorizing every inch of her. That red dress did a wonderful job of accentuating the roundness of her breasts and ass. She was just stunning…and perfect and mesmerizing…and…

"Focus! Naruto!" she admonished. They were supposed to look into each other's eyes-and yet here he was, shamelessly checking out other parts of her.

He grinned. "Don't worry! I've got my eyes only on you Sakura-chan,"

_**Making love**_

He would have teased her more if not for the music which became more rapid, calling for sharper and faster movements.

Their feet moved in time with the rhythm. Naruto stepped forward with his right foot, leading her to take a step back with her left. Then he led her to take two steps while turning a half turn. The execution was flawless. A few fancy footwork later and the mood was set.

They were not just dancing anymore-they were drinking and basking in each other's scent, warmth and curves as the passion oozing from him filled her to the brim. Their eyes-solely focused on each other- mirrored each other's lust, communicating a deeper message.

_I want you_

_Fuck me_

**Climax**

The urge to touch her was overwhelming. Without warning, his hand ventured lower and rested on that part of her back just above her rear. With it, he pulled her close, their lower parts almost touching. It wasn't part of the routine. It was his desire taking its toll on him.

He rolled his hips and for second, their private parts touched. She yelped at the action.

"Sorry Sakura-chan, you are just so damn tempting I couldn't resist,"

He expected her to yell and smack him on the head. She surprised him when all she did was to push him away, effectively separating them in the process. She didn't want to ruin the dance by stopping midway to scold him. She would reserve that for later.

They continued from where they left off. A series of steps more and the music intensified-a signal that the song was nearing its end.

_They were almost there._

She aided him in lifting her up to wrap her legs around his waist. He turned twice and pointed his foot on the floor. Then, he put her down and used one of his hands to maneuver her around. It reminded Naruto of one of his bedroom fantasies with her.

_Eager to reach that peak, he raised her legs just so he could hit that sensitive part in her. Her cries of pleasure were music to his ears, urging him to move faster, deeper._

He stretched his right legs and bent his left to aid him in supporting her full weight with his arms and hands as she raised a leg in mid-air.

The music ended.

He assisted her to stand properly. Both panted from the intensity of the activity. Sakura took a deep breath to calm her raging heart. They were together long enough for her to know that she should not let her emotions take over and get attached to this man. No matter how attractive he is, she would continuously fend him off and refuse to let him see how his actions affected her.

But tonight, there was something different about him-about them.

"Date me!"

Her eyes widened. This reminded him of those days when they were still in dance school when he constantly followed her to ask her out on dates or to confess his feelings out of nowhere. She just ignored them, thinking he was just playing around.

But the way he said it this time made her realize something.

"I'm serious. I have always been!" His words echoed her thoughts.

She honestly didn't know what to say at that moment. "Only if we win…I'll consider it,"

"Yes thank you for agreeing to a date with me Sakura-chan," He pulled her and hugged her tight, almost squeezing her.

She smacked him on the head, causing him to let her go and clutch it with both hands instead.

"Idiot! The contest is still days from now,"

"We'll win anyway. You've got to admit. We just did a good job,"

"I'll take back what I said,"

"You wouldn't,"

"And why is that?"

"Cause you love me too,"

"I didn't say that,"

"You've loved me ever since our dance class days but you've kept them hidden because you considered me your rival and you thought all my love confessions were jokes but then when we part ways and we lost contact, you missed me because no one was bothering you anymore and…"

"H…how did you find out?"

"Eh? You mean they're true?" He was just teasing her.

"Forget it," Heat rise up to her cheeks upon realizing that she accidentally revealed her 'secret'. How he was able to come up with that unintentionally was beyond her because she was sure she never even told anyone about her 'feelings' for him.

Hence, the rest of the night continued with Naruto probing her for details and her saying she will answer all his questions once they win the contest.


	3. Steam Train part 1

**Steam Train Part I**

The waiting area of the train station bustled with life. Murmurs of excitement-mostly from the younger ones pervaded the atmosphere as people from all walks of life arrived with their trunks full of clothes and other valuables.

Naruto chose to wait near the second entrance of the train station to avoid the crowd. His gaze drifted from one person to the next, observing each one as they come and go. The system was organized. There were two entrances and an exit. People with no tickets were not allowed beyond the second entrance. Passengers who just arrived stepped out into carriages waiting immediately outside the train sheds. Departing passengers passed through another way.

Shifting his attention on other things, he looked around and marveled at the elaborate design of the station which looked like it was conceptualized and built by a team of highly-skilled team of architects and engineers. He almost laughed at his own reaction. He blamed the sudden interest in the passengers, station, architects and whatnot on boredom brought by the long hours of waiting. On normal days, when he was not bored, these things were not a matter of interest.

But the steam train was a different story. It never failed to excite him.

The booming train whistle, the clicking and whirring valves gear, the smell of oil and coal mingled together and the sight of the train's body made up of polished brass, copper and bronze brought a rare kind of childhood fascination in his chest. To him, it was a combination of everything that stirred the senses. It reminded him of childhood, happiness, romance and a mixture of other pleasant things.

He sat on his trunk and took a pouch from the pocket of his brown frock coat. He poured the contents onto his palm. A few coins came out-enough to buy him meals to last for two days. He sighed and silently berated himself for forgetting to bring his second pouch. As someone who came from a wealthy and well-distinguished family, he was not used to having only that much money.

However, he was not really what you would call the spoiled son of a nobleman. Those who will go as far as to say that he had everything served to him on a silver platter were clearly mistaken. He was born rich but everything that he achieved so far in academics and other aspects of his life was a product of his 'never give up' attitude for he was born frail and showed less intellectual promise when he was younger. It was only after years of perseverance and hard work that he gained everyone's respect. If anything, the most vital contribution his parents provided for him were his tutors in different subjects. He could still recall their names at the drop of the hat. Among them, his personal favorite was the one who trained him in hand-to-hand combat.

He could say everything was finally going smoothly in his life until yesterday morning when a conversation with his parents drove him to run away from home.

Irritated at the sight of the coins, he hurriedly returned them into the pouch and back to his pocket. He took two deep breaths and finally managed to calm himself. He just needed to find a way to have more money. As of now, he didn't know how he would go about it. He was just sure about one thing-a foul mood wouldn't help him in this situation.

He removed his hat and used it to fan himself. People started to gather near the rail as soon as they heard the whistle of the steam train that was fast approaching.

The train made a creaking sound against the rail at the screeching halt. People gathered and waited for the doors to open. Naruto made sure all the passengers were already out of the train before he decided it was time for him to join the crowd.

He stood up, straightened his coat and put his hat back on.

"Let me go," he swore he heard a feminine voice among the sea of noises. He looked at the crowd gathering near the train for any signs of a woman being harassed by a group of thugs. Nothing

Dismissing it as part of his imagination, He picked up his trunk. He heard another yell. It was louder but indistinct and all he could make out was one word-'help'. The owner of the voice must be in dire need. He imagined there were at least three older, muscular, good-for-nothing men ganging up on an innocent lady-probably for some money. Pick pocketing was on its height after all.

The voice seemed to come from the second entrance. There were a lot of people there a while ago but the moment the train came, the passengers rushed inside and gathered beside the rail.

He could choose to ignore it and just go. It was easier. _But then again that wasn't him. _He turned abruptly and rushed out of the second entrance.

The sight that greeted him was unpleasant yet breath-taking. It was those men, who looked like thugs, fierce and mean, that ruined the scene.

And the breath-taking part was_ her_

For a moment, his breath caught in his throat. Her appearance reminded him of those beautiful women commonly depicted on paintings. The narrow cut of her long, light red, long-sleeved dress showed off her slimness. The high V-neck exposed lesser skin but it highlighted her neck in the most tempting way possible.

He shook his head and focused on what was happening in front of him rather than the woman's physical attributes. His mood darkened. Hands shaking in barely controlled anger, he suppressed the urge to suddenly barge in and beat the men senseless. They were an eyesore. As someone who was raised in a fine household, he was taught how to respect women and people in general. Any act of violence against innocent people was something he would not tolerate.

Aside from him, two train officials and around seven people gathered around the scene but no one dared to move closer for fear of what the five men would do. The three of them surrounded the lady, while the other two blocked their way preventing them to reach her and extend their help.

"We're not here to hurt you. We only need the lady. Once you interfere, something bad will happen." One of them addressed the people around in a voice that promised physical pain for whoever will not heed the warning.

He used to charge blindly at the bad men in situations like these but this time, he wouldn't-at least not yet. But this was only because he didn't want to draw attention to himself. By this time, he was sure that his parents finally discovered that he was missing. They might have already sent people to locate him. Right now, remaining as inconspicuous as possible was as important to him as saving someone in danger.

"Don't make this hard for us. Come!," One of the men grabbed her arm forcefully, making her lose her grip on the black ornamented handbag she was holding.

The blatant display of violence elicited collective gasps from the people around, prompting others to take a step forward in an attempt to help only to be stopped by the two men's outstretched arms. The way a handful of people were held back easily made Naruto think that they weren't just ordinary men-that underneath those coats they wore were muscled arms that underwent lots of physical training.

He figured he needed to use both hands to deal with them but the risk of leaving his trunk on the floor was too great. His lips suddenly curved into a smile beaming with confidence. If that's the case then he just needed to find a way to beat them using his only free hand.

He took that first reckless step towards the men in front them but stopped when he saw the woman pulled her hand and broke free from the man's grasp. Caught off guard, the man screamed in pain the moment her right foot connected with his shin.

Naruto's eyes widened at the display of strength. Some people around them had the same expression. Others had their mouths agape. His surprise, however was short-lived. It was soon replaced by an unexpected pride that swelled up in his chest as he found himself silently cheering for the stranger.

His affinity to her might be because her fiery temper reminded him of his own mother. All the exclusive balls he attended so far made him realize there was quite a few like her in this age. All the women he met or were introduced to him so far were all of the silent, shy and submissive type.

Upon seeing their fallen companion, the other two went on either side of her and grabbed her by the shoulders. She screamed in pain. That was all it took for Naruto to finally decide he had watched enough. Forget remaining inconspicuous. He was going to help her once and for all.

Refusing to back down, the woman continued to struggle by moving her arms. She needed to make it in time for the train's departure. If she could break free from their hold then she could make a run for it. Too caught up in her attempt to escape, she didn't notice a new figure approach them from the back.

She became aware of the presence of her savior only when she noticed the pressure on her arms finally gone. The men dropped on the floor with a loud thud. She looked back.

Nothing could have prepared Naruto for that. Up close, where he had a better view of her eyes, she looked even more stunning.

The woman picked up her handbag and dusted it with the back of her hand.

The men around them slowly started to stand up again. Naruto and the woman readied themselves to fend them off.

The loud whistle of the train informed the people around of its near departure. There was only a minute left before it closed its doors and finally leave the place. Naruto and the woman exchanged worried looks.

Without warning, he took her hand and made a mad dash for the train. The men ran after them. After going through the second entrance, Naruto expertly waded through the crowd. At the rate they were going, he was sure anyone who made contact with them would stumble a bit to the side. People around avoided their path for fear of being hit. Others who were far away craned their necks to see what the fuss was about.

The men were fast but Naruto, with the woman in tow, was faster.

The whistle became louder. The train was getting nearer. They were only inches away and they could still make it. Naruto stepped inside and pulled her hard for her to make it in time. That exact moment when the doors closed was also that same moment when the force from his pull caused her to be thrown forward right into his chest.

People inside the train gasped.

Both let out a sigh of relief. As soon as they recover from what just transpired, Naruto immediately let her go. "Sorry for grabbing you," his gaze trailed to her hand "and also for pulling you too hard," They exchanged glances. Embarrassed, both looked away simultaneously.

She was uncomfortable at the contact. She had no idea why he helped her but she was glad he did or else she would have missed the train and the men might have succeeded in taking her away.

"Be careful," was all that came out of his mouth just because he didn't want to sound impudent. Truthfully, he had a lot of questions he wanted to ask. He wanted to know who the men were, why they were after her and why she had no one with her when it was clearly dangerous these days for women to travel alone.

"Thank you…Thank you so much." She muttered before turning her back on him.

"Wait!"

She looked back "What is it?"

He opened his mouth, about to ask for her name but kept them shut again.

"N…nothing," Face flushed, he unwillingly turned his back on her and felt the pocket of his coat for that bump just to make sure the pouch that contained his money was still there.

It was missing.


End file.
